Hey everyone,
What with the new school year starting just a few weeks ago, I haven't really been able to keep up with with this blog like I did during the summer months. (Getting a Playstation 3 no doubt also eats up some of my time.) When this whole thing started, I was amongst the first so I was made an admin for this blog.
However, what with some of the intrusions, especially some of the abusive language aimed at Maragon (and others no doubt - like I said, I haven't been able to keep up,) I feel like maybe there was some stuff that should have been deleted, but I haven't been able to do so because I'm falling behind on all the posts. Am I wrong? Or should we just leave the abusive stuff up there so everybody can see Terry for the nutbar that he is?
So, I'm wondering if somebody would like to take my place as an admin. Or, if you're all fine with the way things are going, then I'll just leave it as it is. You won't hurt my feelings if you think that there needs to be a little bit more regulating going on here than I have been able to provide. Oh, and I won't speak for the other admins (McGyver Jr. and Ranting Student, I believe). This is from me and me alone.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Ray lies again. Quelle suprise.
Ray's latest gem is a self-adulatory piece of dreck entitled "Further to “A Challenge for the Atheist”". In it he gloats:
Really? Silence?
A quick perusal of the referenced thread, "A Challenge for the Atheist", reveals 33 comments, about half of them from atheists giving various responses to his "challenge". Apparently, 50% of all the responses doesn't qualify as "forthcoming" to Ray.
Also, it's important to note that this "challenge" was previously issued in the "Oh, I Get It" thread, and and received at least four responses there, including one from Yours Truly. Funny how Ray couldn't manage to reply to any of our responses at that time.
In short, Ray's claim that atheist responses to his "challenge" "weren't very forthcoming" is yet another blatant LIE. Ray has absolutely no compunction about breaking his 9th Commandment. To quote Joseph N. Welch, "Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
(UPDATE: Ray has responded to the exposure of his latest lie...by deleting the entire "Further to “A Challenge for the Atheist”" thread from his blog. So much for decency.
So I then put out a challenge: “Okay. What is the purpose for human existence? I don’t mean, what do we do while we are here--find happiness, party, help people, etc. I mean, Why are we here--what’s our purpose?”
The comments weren’t very forthcoming from the usual outspoken folks, and their silence spoke volumes.
Really? Silence?
A quick perusal of the referenced thread, "A Challenge for the Atheist", reveals 33 comments, about half of them from atheists giving various responses to his "challenge". Apparently, 50% of all the responses doesn't qualify as "forthcoming" to Ray.
Also, it's important to note that this "challenge" was previously issued in the "Oh, I Get It" thread, and and received at least four responses there, including one from Yours Truly. Funny how Ray couldn't manage to reply to any of our responses at that time.
In short, Ray's claim that atheist responses to his "challenge" "weren't very forthcoming" is yet another blatant LIE. Ray has absolutely no compunction about breaking his 9th Commandment. To quote Joseph N. Welch, "Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
(UPDATE: Ray has responded to the exposure of his latest lie...by deleting the entire "Further to “A Challenge for the Atheist”" thread from his blog. So much for decency.
What I mean when I say the fleeced are getting fleeced
I've used that phrase a number of times around fundies and used it several times over at Ray's when I used to post there. They never seem to get the meaning of it and in light of recent events here with one Mr. Burton, I'd like to shed some light on the meaning of the phrase.
The fundies over at Ray's never seem to understand that when we point out to them that he is making a killing off of them we don't necessarily mean that he is taking money directly out of each and every one of their pockets. Just because Ray doesn't charge for every single item associated with his ministry, doesn't mean that every single item doesn't mean more money in his pocket. It works like this:
Fundies think Ray must be a pretty honest guy because he tells them what they want to hear (a bunch of biblical blah-blah) and reinforces their confirmation biases about the world around them with his persistent parroting of ill conceived 'logic'.
Some of them will buy his products and some of them will just take the free swag and hand it out to their churches and friends, thinking that Da Jeebus is smiling on their soft little heads for doing so. What they don't get is that even if they personally didn't put money in Ray's pocket, by spreading his ministry they inadvertently do so because as a result of them helping to spread his ministry a certain percentage of other people will buy his products and/or disseminate his swag and in this way he makes money off of them indirectly. They think they are helping to spread the word of God, when in all actuality they are just helping to pad Ray's bank account.
So, in effect, they were fleeced once by buying into his lies about science and his illogical arguments, then they were fleeced again by either buying his junk and spreading it, or just passing on the free stuff so that he can make money off of others should they happen to buy products.
And how does this relate to the Terry Burtons of the world? It can be summed up in one sentence: Ray Comfort doesn't give a flying goddamned turd about Terry Burton or anyone else that is infected with fan worship for him or his ministry. That was made pretty evident by his dismissal of Terry in the comments over at Ray's. A certain faction of people who are unstable to begin with become a *wee bit* obsessed over people that they deem to be somehow more worthy that the rest of humanity, be it a religious figure, a celebrity, a love interest, ect. Often they take on the same likes, dislikes and viewpoints of the person they are obsessed with. I think it makes it easier for Terry or anyone in a similar situation as him to demonize other people if he thinks Ray hates them too. However, the darker side is that if the unstable person is ever wronged by their hero/heroine they often lash out at them due to having the only thing they thought was solid in their lives turn on them.
None of the above means that every person who puts themselves out there in the public eye has to cater to every mentally anguished individual that comes along. Actually, to do so would be pretty foolish because it would most likely only feed the fire. But one would think that seeing as how Ray, or someone on his staff, has to look at Terry's comments day after insufferable day, that they could have at least recognized that maybe they should give him more than a casual brush off. I did not expect Ray would give him anything more, but it would seem that anyone with any emotional intelligence at all would be able to comprehend that maybe since the guy drools at your feet continuously, there might be some mental repercussions for him by just dismissing him. And maybe, just maybe, you might want to care about that fact. But Ray has shown repeatedly and continually that the only thing he is interested in is himself.
Dealing with Terry on an individual basis is difficult at best, and he doesn't lend himself to eliciting warm and cuddly feelings in people. I do at least hope, for his sake, that he really does have some family that cares for him and can get him some good quality mental health help. I sense that this may not be the case. I do have a feeling that if someone in his life doesn't intervene that his situation could have a tragic end for himself or for someone else. I really, really hope that never comes to pass.
The fundies over at Ray's never seem to understand that when we point out to them that he is making a killing off of them we don't necessarily mean that he is taking money directly out of each and every one of their pockets. Just because Ray doesn't charge for every single item associated with his ministry, doesn't mean that every single item doesn't mean more money in his pocket. It works like this:
Fundies think Ray must be a pretty honest guy because he tells them what they want to hear (a bunch of biblical blah-blah) and reinforces their confirmation biases about the world around them with his persistent parroting of ill conceived 'logic'.
Some of them will buy his products and some of them will just take the free swag and hand it out to their churches and friends, thinking that Da Jeebus is smiling on their soft little heads for doing so. What they don't get is that even if they personally didn't put money in Ray's pocket, by spreading his ministry they inadvertently do so because as a result of them helping to spread his ministry a certain percentage of other people will buy his products and/or disseminate his swag and in this way he makes money off of them indirectly. They think they are helping to spread the word of God, when in all actuality they are just helping to pad Ray's bank account.
So, in effect, they were fleeced once by buying into his lies about science and his illogical arguments, then they were fleeced again by either buying his junk and spreading it, or just passing on the free stuff so that he can make money off of others should they happen to buy products.
And how does this relate to the Terry Burtons of the world? It can be summed up in one sentence: Ray Comfort doesn't give a flying goddamned turd about Terry Burton or anyone else that is infected with fan worship for him or his ministry. That was made pretty evident by his dismissal of Terry in the comments over at Ray's. A certain faction of people who are unstable to begin with become a *wee bit* obsessed over people that they deem to be somehow more worthy that the rest of humanity, be it a religious figure, a celebrity, a love interest, ect. Often they take on the same likes, dislikes and viewpoints of the person they are obsessed with. I think it makes it easier for Terry or anyone in a similar situation as him to demonize other people if he thinks Ray hates them too. However, the darker side is that if the unstable person is ever wronged by their hero/heroine they often lash out at them due to having the only thing they thought was solid in their lives turn on them.
None of the above means that every person who puts themselves out there in the public eye has to cater to every mentally anguished individual that comes along. Actually, to do so would be pretty foolish because it would most likely only feed the fire. But one would think that seeing as how Ray, or someone on his staff, has to look at Terry's comments day after insufferable day, that they could have at least recognized that maybe they should give him more than a casual brush off. I did not expect Ray would give him anything more, but it would seem that anyone with any emotional intelligence at all would be able to comprehend that maybe since the guy drools at your feet continuously, there might be some mental repercussions for him by just dismissing him. And maybe, just maybe, you might want to care about that fact. But Ray has shown repeatedly and continually that the only thing he is interested in is himself.
Dealing with Terry on an individual basis is difficult at best, and he doesn't lend himself to eliciting warm and cuddly feelings in people. I do at least hope, for his sake, that he really does have some family that cares for him and can get him some good quality mental health help. I sense that this may not be the case. I do have a feeling that if someone in his life doesn't intervene that his situation could have a tragic end for himself or for someone else. I really, really hope that never comes to pass.
Too damned hot
I just found this. It's pretty old stuff, but there is something Ray doesn't seem to know about Heaven
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/8414/hell.htm
I think I'd rather stay here
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/8414/hell.htm
I think I'd rather stay here
How many people really believe like Ray does?
Not near as many as you might suspect.
Ray Comfort preaches Evangelical Fundamentalism
According to surveys by the Barna Group-
"Born again Christians" were defined in these surveys as people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.
"Evangelicals" are defined as individuals who meet the born again criteria; say their faith is very important in their life today; believe they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; acknowledge the existence of Satan; contend that eternal salvation is possible only through God's grace, not through good deeds; believe that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and describe God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.
This classification model indicates that only 8% of adults are evangelicals. Barna Research data show that 12% of adults were evangelicals a decade ago, but the number has dropped by a third as Americans continue to reshape their theological views.
ONLY 8%!
The US has an adult population of approx 229,000,000.
Eight percent of that population is just over 18 million.
Ray's extreme brand of religion is almost unheard of outside the US, so worldwide, Evangelical Christian Fundamentalism represents less than 0.3% of the population.
So, according to Ray Comfort, 99.7% of the world is condemned by God to eternal torture in Hell.
Take heart atheists, non-believers, and rational theists - A hundred years from now our descendants will look at Ray Comfort's Sin & Salvation show as comically as we view those who preached to the Wright Brothers "If God wanted man to fly, He would have given us wings".
Belief in Evangelical Christianity has decreased by a third in the past decade. Education and rationality can only continue to make it obsolete. The key is - don't argue with creationists, educate them!
Ray Comfort preaches Evangelical Fundamentalism
According to surveys by the Barna Group-
"Born again Christians" were defined in these surveys as people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.
"Evangelicals" are defined as individuals who meet the born again criteria; say their faith is very important in their life today; believe they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; acknowledge the existence of Satan; contend that eternal salvation is possible only through God's grace, not through good deeds; believe that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and describe God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.
This classification model indicates that only 8% of adults are evangelicals. Barna Research data show that 12% of adults were evangelicals a decade ago, but the number has dropped by a third as Americans continue to reshape their theological views.
ONLY 8%!
The US has an adult population of approx 229,000,000.
Eight percent of that population is just over 18 million.
Ray's extreme brand of religion is almost unheard of outside the US, so worldwide, Evangelical Christian Fundamentalism represents less than 0.3% of the population.
So, according to Ray Comfort, 99.7% of the world is condemned by God to eternal torture in Hell.
Take heart atheists, non-believers, and rational theists - A hundred years from now our descendants will look at Ray Comfort's Sin & Salvation show as comically as we view those who preached to the Wright Brothers "If God wanted man to fly, He would have given us wings".
Belief in Evangelical Christianity has decreased by a third in the past decade. Education and rationality can only continue to make it obsolete. The key is - don't argue with creationists, educate them!
On purpose
"Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones." -Marcus Aurelius
Why Hello There...
So I decided to bite the bullet and become an official Raytractor. I would go more in depth of who I am, but I thought it would be more prudent to present this little bit of information.
A little while ago today, say at around 10:30 AM EST, I was reading the various atheist and scientific blogs which I frequent when a knock came from the door. I peered through the window to see two old ladies dressed in the fasion old ladies dress. I figured "Hey, maybe they need help with something." and I opened the door.
Then I heard the dreaded line.
"Sorry to take some of your time, but we're Jehovah's witnesses." A line which was followed by a lot of smiling and nodding on my part. I told them I was in a hurry and needed to go somewhere soon and they handed me two Jehovah's witness magazines. Then my fun began. I was giddy with laughter. The pictures in this entry represent some of the images contained in their literature.
I really like this one.
A little while ago today, say at around 10:30 AM EST, I was reading the various atheist and scientific blogs which I frequent when a knock came from the door. I peered through the window to see two old ladies dressed in the fasion old ladies dress. I figured "Hey, maybe they need help with something." and I opened the door.
Then I heard the dreaded line.
"Sorry to take some of your time, but we're Jehovah's witnesses." A line which was followed by a lot of smiling and nodding on my part. I told them I was in a hurry and needed to go somewhere soon and they handed me two Jehovah's witness magazines. Then my fun began. I was giddy with laughter. The pictures in this entry represent some of the images contained in their literature.
I really like this one.
Aside from the images in them, there is no shortage of insanity in these pamphlets. A brief list:
- Concurrent blood flow in animals were intelligently designed to keep animals warm.
- The bible describes the water cycle. (Isiah 55:10)
- Global warming is Earth's fever. And the only prescription is more cowbell....err....more Jesus.
THERE'S PROOF!
Terry has posted the exact same comment both as himself and "The man" on Maragon's Untitled Post and and the late night randomness post. To those with Admin abilities, if you see posts that are repetitive, threatening, ranting and do not apply to the discussion at hand, feel free to delete them; especially if they appear to come from a shell or faked account. I do not like to do this, but unfortunately an unstable individual is not letting me ignore this. I am looking into a more permanent option.
Terry,
If you cannot conduct yourself as an adult, and act your appropriate age, please either remove yourself and seek appropriate help or else I will seek a more permanent option of blocking you from this blog. We are all about conducting a civil discourse even with those we disagree with, you are being abusive and disruptive.
Terry,
If you cannot conduct yourself as an adult, and act your appropriate age, please either remove yourself and seek appropriate help or else I will seek a more permanent option of blocking you from this blog. We are all about conducting a civil discourse even with those we disagree with, you are being abusive and disruptive.
Hurricane Terry
EDIT:
So, there's been a few mentions of my avatar lately. Is there anyone here who's not a sockpuppet who is offended by my profile picture? I am sincerely curious, because if it were offensive, I would gladly change it. I didn't think it was or intend it to be a provocative picture - I just thought it was kind of pretty.
So, if it does bother you guys, let me know so I can change it to something more appropriate.
Thanks!
So, we've all seen the insanity that has been our good friend Terry over the past few days.
At my count we have 4 separate Terry accounts posting on our blog.
I would encourage my fellow atheists to not respond to him(as someone else so nicely suggested). We don't want to feed into, encourage or worsen his psychosis.
The question for today is:
Do religious doctrines have the power to drive someone insane, or do they merely attract those who may already be mentally unstable?
Is a belief in God a stabilizer at this point, or does it only add to the psychosis that already exists?
Love to hear your thoughts, guys.
PS. Yes, I realize that this is a bit of an over-simplification...
So, there's been a few mentions of my avatar lately. Is there anyone here who's not a sockpuppet who is offended by my profile picture? I am sincerely curious, because if it were offensive, I would gladly change it. I didn't think it was or intend it to be a provocative picture - I just thought it was kind of pretty.
So, if it does bother you guys, let me know so I can change it to something more appropriate.
Thanks!
So, we've all seen the insanity that has been our good friend Terry over the past few days.
At my count we have 4 separate Terry accounts posting on our blog.
I would encourage my fellow atheists to not respond to him(as someone else so nicely suggested). We don't want to feed into, encourage or worsen his psychosis.
The question for today is:
Do religious doctrines have the power to drive someone insane, or do they merely attract those who may already be mentally unstable?
Is a belief in God a stabilizer at this point, or does it only add to the psychosis that already exists?
Love to hear your thoughts, guys.
PS. Yes, I realize that this is a bit of an over-simplification...
Late night randomness...
I'm bored at work after looking all night looking at web hosting options, so I hopped over to the Internet Anagram Server, and after playing around for a bit, this is what I found:
Ray Comfort
Terry Burton
--------------------------------
Lance Christian Johnson
Daddy Stegosaurus
Ray Comfort
Terry Burton
- Terror By Nut *
- Graven Duo
- I warm an Elk
- Warlike Man
--------------------------------
Lance Christian Johnson
- A Larcenists Honcho, Jinn
- A Nontechnical John, Sirs
- Johns Nils, A Coach Intern
- New Enema, Ray
Daddy Stegosaurus
- Odd, Sturdy Sausage
- Wham! Veteran
A Challenge for the Christian
Okay. What is the purpose for God's existence? I don’t mean, what does God do while he is here-- creating life, planting evidence contrary to the creation myth, etc. I mean, Why is God here--what’s his purpose?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Terry Becomes Skeptical of Ray?
I checked out the profile and this seems to be the Real Terry.
Enjoy.
UPDATE: I should have read down the thread further. Terry's hero Ray Comfort, completely dismissed his plight with the following:
Enjoy.
keywesthaven1@msn.com (Terry) said...@forgiven37, you said "why don't you post under your own name and stop mocking terry ? "
Thank you brother, I appreciate you taking a stand for me. It shows how 'low' the atheist will go with identity theft.
Ray,
I asked once before, why do you allow the post to be published?
I have not made an issue with my personal picture / Rufus with you, but I am with my email address and name. Blaspheming God with my name is stepping 'over the line'.
You can tell its not me, but you allow the post, and you remain silent. You could simply DELETE, but you do nothing.
What gives Ray? Is this all just for the 'sales'? Prove me wrong brother. Please respond!
In His Love,
Terry Burton
UPDATE: I should have read down the thread further. Terry's hero Ray Comfort, completely dismissed his plight with the following:
...and how do I know this is the real Terry? Besides, there are about 1,000 comments a week and I can't read them all. I mainly check for dirt, blasphemy and URL's. Sorry I can't be more helpful.UPDATE 2: Warning. Read the comments to this post at your own risk. Especially if you thought Terry Burton was a good, upstanding Christian. The language he uses will shock you. His disrespect of women will sicken you. His insanity is more apparent than ever.
Ray Tops Himself in Pettiness and Childishness
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Jillions Kittens
"You just don't get it, Ray. Your God is so psychotic that I wouldn't worship Him even if you could prove He was real, which thank God, you can't. Your own Holy Book says that your God drowned 99.9999% of all air-breathing life on the planet. Kittens, Ray. He drowned jillions of kittens--and you worship Him. Are you crazy or what?" Captain H.
Why are you so upset? As an atheist, you believe that no one made the kittens. There was nothing, and then, over time, there were jillions of cute kittens. Besides, for an atheist, life has no rhyme nor reason, and there’s no absolute right and there’s no absolute wrong. So, in your book, God ultimately didn’t do anything morally wrong.
Are you as angry at veterinarians (who in the United States kill around 12 million cats each year) as you are at God? They kill them Captain. Cats and kittens (and dogs). When did you last get angry enough about cat and kitten deaths to picket outside a vet clinic?
Besides, if God made the kittens, He has the right to kill them, if He sees fit to do so. I'm sure you know that cats breed like rabbits. Can you imagine how overrun the earth would be by now if God hadn't killed those jillions of kittens?
So, the next time you are upset about God and His judgments, remember that if cats came by the process of evolution (and all cats die), God didn’t kill them, evolution did. So get mad at your own beliefs and lighten up when it comes to others. Live and let live.
Posted by Ray Comfort on 9/18/2008 01:06:00 PM 16 comments
I think the crux of it is the "God has the right to kill them if he sees fit" line. If Ray's God decided to play another game like the one He played with Job, say like He decided to kill every child on the planet under the age of ten, Ray and his fellow believers would say "that's fine with me, as long as I'm not going to Hell".
Then there's the stupidity of "remember that if cats came by the process of evolution, God didn't kill them, evolution did". Ray always goes full retard.
Jillions Kittens
"You just don't get it, Ray. Your God is so psychotic that I wouldn't worship Him even if you could prove He was real, which thank God, you can't. Your own Holy Book says that your God drowned 99.9999% of all air-breathing life on the planet. Kittens, Ray. He drowned jillions of kittens--and you worship Him. Are you crazy or what?" Captain H.
Why are you so upset? As an atheist, you believe that no one made the kittens. There was nothing, and then, over time, there were jillions of cute kittens. Besides, for an atheist, life has no rhyme nor reason, and there’s no absolute right and there’s no absolute wrong. So, in your book, God ultimately didn’t do anything morally wrong.
Are you as angry at veterinarians (who in the United States kill around 12 million cats each year) as you are at God? They kill them Captain. Cats and kittens (and dogs). When did you last get angry enough about cat and kitten deaths to picket outside a vet clinic?
Besides, if God made the kittens, He has the right to kill them, if He sees fit to do so. I'm sure you know that cats breed like rabbits. Can you imagine how overrun the earth would be by now if God hadn't killed those jillions of kittens?
So, the next time you are upset about God and His judgments, remember that if cats came by the process of evolution (and all cats die), God didn’t kill them, evolution did. So get mad at your own beliefs and lighten up when it comes to others. Live and let live.
Posted by Ray Comfort on 9/18/2008 01:06:00 PM 16 comments
I think the crux of it is the "God has the right to kill them if he sees fit" line. If Ray's God decided to play another game like the one He played with Job, say like He decided to kill every child on the planet under the age of ten, Ray and his fellow believers would say "that's fine with me, as long as I'm not going to Hell".
Then there's the stupidity of "remember that if cats came by the process of evolution, God didn't kill them, evolution did". Ray always goes full retard.
The Golden Crockaduck Award!!
Creationists are just so damn amusing. Cast your vote for the stupidest creationist in the video!!! Mine is for the last guy, who demanded us stupid scientists explain why the earth is round...."ya don't know, do you, scientists??" What a nitwit.
E. O. Wilson and James D. Watson Discuss Darwin with Charlie Rose
A great discussion about Darwin, faith, and science from two great thinkers.
Chant With Me So We May Invoke the Dark Goddess for Terry.
Dark Goddess Invocation
I am the Darkness behind and beneath the shadows.
I am the absence of air that awaits at the bottom of every breath.
I am the Ending before Life begins again,
the Decay that fertilizes the Living.
I am the Bottomless Pit,
the never-ending struggle to reclaim that which is denied.
I am the Key that unlocks every Door.
I am the Glory of Discovery,
for I am that which is hidden, secluded and forbidden.
Come to me at the Dark Moon and see that which can not be seen,
face the terror that is yours alone.
Swim to me through the blackest oceans
to the center of your greatest fears--
the Dark God and I will keep you safe.
Scream to us in terror, and yours will be the Power to Forbear.
Think of me when you feel pleasure, and I will intensify it,
until the time when I may have the greatest pleasure
of meeting you at the Crossroads Between the Worlds.
Source
I am the Darkness behind and beneath the shadows.
I am the absence of air that awaits at the bottom of every breath.
I am the Ending before Life begins again,
the Decay that fertilizes the Living.
I am the Bottomless Pit,
the never-ending struggle to reclaim that which is denied.
I am the Key that unlocks every Door.
I am the Glory of Discovery,
for I am that which is hidden, secluded and forbidden.
Come to me at the Dark Moon and see that which can not be seen,
face the terror that is yours alone.
Swim to me through the blackest oceans
to the center of your greatest fears--
the Dark God and I will keep you safe.
Scream to us in terror, and yours will be the Power to Forbear.
Think of me when you feel pleasure, and I will intensify it,
until the time when I may have the greatest pleasure
of meeting you at the Crossroads Between the Worlds.
Source
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Alternative After-lifestyles
Short post from my blog that I thought I'd also post here:
And you see, there is no "Hell." Really, there is just an "alternative life-style."
And, you vile atheists, consider this: a person may believe that his being burned, tormented, and plagued with sickness for all eternity because he once told a lie, is torture. God rather knows better. You may call it torture, but he calls it "justice."
P.S. This post is not "sarcasm." I "mean" everything I have typed. And the quotes? They don't "negate" whatever is in them. Ray Comfort is "not" an idiot.
There are two important truths to understand here. First: God will not "torture" anyone. He will give them "justice." A criminal may believe that his being thrown into a cold prison because he viciously raped three teenage girls, is torture. The judge rather knows better. He calls it "justice."Right-o Ray. Way to take a page out of the torture-proponents handbooks. God won't "torture" people, he will simply give them "justice." Just like waterboarding and other torture techniques the US employs. We don't "torture" people, we simply have "aggressive interrogation techniques."
And you see, there is no "Hell." Really, there is just an "alternative life-style."
And, you vile atheists, consider this: a person may believe that his being burned, tormented, and plagued with sickness for all eternity because he once told a lie, is torture. God rather knows better. You may call it torture, but he calls it "justice."
P.S. This post is not "sarcasm." I "mean" everything I have typed. And the quotes? They don't "negate" whatever is in them. Ray Comfort is "not" an idiot.
What a Surprise
I just got a phone call from my mother and she had a very concerned demeanor. Apparently, my father told her earlier tonight that I am an atheist. She was very disappointed in me. I was completely caught off guard by the call for the following reason: I thought she already knew. For the past ten year, I have not been shy about being a nonbeliever and would be considered an outspoken atheist by most.
By the way, her reaction when I confirmed her suspicions was: "An atheist, that just sounds so bad."
By the way, her reaction when I confirmed her suspicions was: "An atheist, that just sounds so bad."
Why argue with a creationist?
According to a new study by Brendan Nyhan, a Ph.D. candidate in Duke’s political science department, and co-author Jason Reifler of Georgia State University, their experiments show that with the presidential candidates trading accusations on television and in the press, journalists’ attempts to correct misinformation is unlikely to sway public perceptions.
Nyhan said-
“What we found is that corrections are ineffective for the group most likely to have the misperception. Even worse, we found that those people may actually end up believing in the misperception more strongly after hearing a correction.”
“In the paper, we suggest motivated reasoning as an explanation for these results. People often counter-argue information that contradicts their predispositions. That may be what is happening here.”
Nyhan and Reifler provided two groups of volunteers with the Bush administration's prewar claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. One group was given a refutation -- the comprehensive 2004 Duelfer report that concluded that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction before the United States invaded in 2003. Thirty-four percent of conservatives told only about the Bush administration's claims thought Iraq had hidden or destroyed its weapons before the U.S. invasion, but 64 percent of conservatives who heard both claim and refutation thought that Iraq really did have the weapons. The refutation, in other words, made the misinformation worse. A similar "backfire effect" also influenced conservatives told about Bush administration assertions that tax cuts increase federal revenue. One group was offered a refutation by prominent economists that included current and former Bush administration officials. About 35 percent of conservatives told about the Bush claim believed it; 67 percent of those provided with both assertion and refutation believed that tax cuts increase revenue.
Their paper, which is undergoing review, suggests that Republicans might be especially prone to the backfire effect because conservatives may have more rigid views than liberals: Upon hearing a refutation, conservatives might "argue back" against the refutation in their minds, thereby strengthening their belief in the misinformation. Nyhan and Reifler did not see the same "backfire effect" when liberals were given misinformation and a refutation about the Bush administration's stance on stem cell research.
I consider this to be the case as well with creationists and religious zealots. It would explain why followers of preachers like Ken Ham and Ray Comfort, and their followers seem to be immune to the feeble lance of reason.
But if these extremists are utterly immune to the truth -- and indeed, the truth only makes them dig deeper into their fantasy world of religion, what is a rational person to do?
When arguing with creationists in front of on-the-fence thinkers, remember that you're not trying to convince the creationist to actually buy into silly notions like facts and reason. You're highlighting the differences between science and faith for the outside observer. If the other guy insists on religious views that belong only in Disney World's Fantasyland, other folks will realize what's happening.
But if there is no third party, do yourself a favor and save your breath. As the study demonstrates, you're only making matters worse.
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2008/09/nyhan.html
Nyhan said-
“What we found is that corrections are ineffective for the group most likely to have the misperception. Even worse, we found that those people may actually end up believing in the misperception more strongly after hearing a correction.”
“In the paper, we suggest motivated reasoning as an explanation for these results. People often counter-argue information that contradicts their predispositions. That may be what is happening here.”
Nyhan and Reifler provided two groups of volunteers with the Bush administration's prewar claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. One group was given a refutation -- the comprehensive 2004 Duelfer report that concluded that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction before the United States invaded in 2003. Thirty-four percent of conservatives told only about the Bush administration's claims thought Iraq had hidden or destroyed its weapons before the U.S. invasion, but 64 percent of conservatives who heard both claim and refutation thought that Iraq really did have the weapons. The refutation, in other words, made the misinformation worse. A similar "backfire effect" also influenced conservatives told about Bush administration assertions that tax cuts increase federal revenue. One group was offered a refutation by prominent economists that included current and former Bush administration officials. About 35 percent of conservatives told about the Bush claim believed it; 67 percent of those provided with both assertion and refutation believed that tax cuts increase revenue.
Their paper, which is undergoing review, suggests that Republicans might be especially prone to the backfire effect because conservatives may have more rigid views than liberals: Upon hearing a refutation, conservatives might "argue back" against the refutation in their minds, thereby strengthening their belief in the misinformation. Nyhan and Reifler did not see the same "backfire effect" when liberals were given misinformation and a refutation about the Bush administration's stance on stem cell research.
I consider this to be the case as well with creationists and religious zealots. It would explain why followers of preachers like Ken Ham and Ray Comfort, and their followers seem to be immune to the feeble lance of reason.
But if these extremists are utterly immune to the truth -- and indeed, the truth only makes them dig deeper into their fantasy world of religion, what is a rational person to do?
When arguing with creationists in front of on-the-fence thinkers, remember that you're not trying to convince the creationist to actually buy into silly notions like facts and reason. You're highlighting the differences between science and faith for the outside observer. If the other guy insists on religious views that belong only in Disney World's Fantasyland, other folks will realize what's happening.
But if there is no third party, do yourself a favor and save your breath. As the study demonstrates, you're only making matters worse.
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2008/09/nyhan.html
Jillions Kittens
Here's the text from Ray's latest sadistic fundiefest.
"You just don't get it, Ray. Your God is so psychotic that I wouldn't worship Him even if you could prove He was real, which thank God, you can't. Your own Holy Book says that your God drowned 99.9999% of all air-breathing life on the planet. Kittens, Ray. He drowned jillions of kittens--and you worship Him. Are you crazy or what?" Captain H.
"You just don't get it, Ray. Your God is so psychotic that I wouldn't worship Him even if you could prove He was real, which thank God, you can't. Your own Holy Book says that your God drowned 99.9999% of all air-breathing life on the planet. Kittens, Ray. He drowned jillions of kittens--and you worship Him. Are you crazy or what?" Captain H. Why are you so upset? As an atheist, you believe that no one made the kittens. There was nothing, and then, over time, there were jillions of cute kittens. Besides, for an atheist, life has no rhyme nor reason, and there’s no absolute right and there’s no absolute wrong. So, in your book, God ultimately didn’t do anything morally wrong.
Are you as angry at veterinarians (who in the United States kill around 12 million cats each year) as you are at God? They kill them Captain. Cats and kittens (and dogs). When did you last get angry enough about cat and kitten deaths to picket outside a vet clinic?
Besides, if God made the kittens, He has the right to kill them, if He sees fit to do so. I'm sure you know that cats breed like rabbits. Can you imagine how overrun the earth would be by now if God hadn't killed those jillions of kittens?
So, the next time you are upset about God and His judgments, remember that if cats came by the process of evolution (and all cats die), God didn’t kill them, evolution did. So get mad at your own beliefs and lighten up when it comes to others. Live and let live.
It's accompanied by a beautiful picture of a cute little baby kitten... drowning in the flood.
As someone who has never been a cat-person: Bravo! Screw the law-enforced restraining order: with Gods will, I'm getting the kitten-bazooka out again!!
JILLIONS KITTENS!
*BOOM*
Edit: As a sidenote, why do my posts appear below everyone elses? I posted this after the Golden Crocoduck awards.
Edit: Weird: both of these posts (Jillions Kittens and I Can't Believe Its Not Torture) appear at 5:41PM, despite there being a 12 hour time difference between them. Not cool.
I can't believe it's not Torture
Well, everyone was taking Ray's post about Hell not being Torture seriously, so I decided not to, simply to be contrary.
This seems appropriate.
I Can't Believe It's Not Torture
Though particularly diverse in its methodology, I Can't Believe It's Not Torture is defined by the following factors:
- Not being torture.
- Inflicting intense pain, trauma, discomfort or disorientation, both physical and psychological, while not being torture.
- Physical and psychological pressure and coercion in order to extract confessions and/or information, while not being torture.
- Standard torture carried out by other countries in other countries, and therefore not being torture.
- Being generally used on Arabs, Muslims and similar Sand Niggers who nobody cares about anyway and so not being torture.
- Being entirely sanctioned by pretty much applicable statute there is, INCLUDING the Geneva Convention, the International Declaration of Human Rights, the US Constitution and everything Amnesty International have ever written, while not being torture.
- Happening in so-called 'legal black holes' where US law does not apply and which are so immensely legal that they collapse in on themselves, while not being torture.
- Being used before trial, as these people who live in Afghanistan are clearly guilty anyway or why else would they be in Afghanistan during a war-zone? So a trial is a waste of time, resources and justice-juice. Er... while not being torture.
- Occasionally involving torture by the lowest-ranking soldiers who guard Iraqi prisoners but have absolutely no guidance from above and besides, it's not torture.
- Not happening. Ever. And not being torture.
Torture is Torture, Ray
...but thanks for giving me insight to the mindset that thinks it's more than OK to hold people in prison indefinitely and torture them!
I really don't have any words to add to this. I don't care what sort of euphemistic spin you want to try and pass it off as deserved or "right," the cruel and unusual punishment of human bodies and minds should always be thought of as just one thing: torture.
I really don't have any words to add to this. I don't care what sort of euphemistic spin you want to try and pass it off as deserved or "right," the cruel and unusual punishment of human bodies and minds should always be thought of as just one thing: torture.
A completely off topic request
I am completely in love with anything written by Marcel Proust. I have been for years. I have no idea how many of you have read him or are familiar with In Search of Lost Time, but I have read volume 1 and will be starting volume 2 in a couple of weeks. I'm pretty giddy about it. Volume 1 was absolutely beautiful and I was so hooked on the story line that I hated to stop reading before I went to sleep at night.
If anyone has read it and wants to dive in again with me as a reading partner, starting with volume 2 of the Enright revision, please let me know either here or drop me an email. I love having reading partners for long reads. If you have a different version than the Enright revision and would like to participate, that's fine also. Comparing notes would be fun!
This doesn't have to be a chore of trying to read as much as we can in a single day or racing in competition with one another. When I've had reading partners in the past we've all just read at our own pace, but kept the commitment to finish the book even if one or more of us read faster or slower than others. Reading a fabulous story is never about competition for me, it's just about appreciating great literature.
It occurred to me that if no one is interested in this, then maybe the Raytractors as a group could do a reading circle for books that are relevant to atheism, philosophy, science, ect. I couldn't do it myself because I really want to get through volume 2 before Christmas, but it might be a fun idea for everyone else.
Sorry for the off topic request, but I'm really not blogging anymore so I had no other place to post this. Speaking of off topic posts, maybe we could have something on the side bar for posting things that are off topic. I don't know if that is possible or desirable, just a thought.
If anyone has read it and wants to dive in again with me as a reading partner, starting with volume 2 of the Enright revision, please let me know either here or drop me an email. I love having reading partners for long reads. If you have a different version than the Enright revision and would like to participate, that's fine also. Comparing notes would be fun!
This doesn't have to be a chore of trying to read as much as we can in a single day or racing in competition with one another. When I've had reading partners in the past we've all just read at our own pace, but kept the commitment to finish the book even if one or more of us read faster or slower than others. Reading a fabulous story is never about competition for me, it's just about appreciating great literature.
It occurred to me that if no one is interested in this, then maybe the Raytractors as a group could do a reading circle for books that are relevant to atheism, philosophy, science, ect. I couldn't do it myself because I really want to get through volume 2 before Christmas, but it might be a fun idea for everyone else.
Sorry for the off topic request, but I'm really not blogging anymore so I had no other place to post this. Speaking of off topic posts, maybe we could have something on the side bar for posting things that are off topic. I don't know if that is possible or desirable, just a thought.
Who are you and what have you done with Terry?
Terry recently wrote:
So, Terry apologized for trying to shut down the Raytractors, retracted his statement about Darwin being high on hash due to the fact that he made an unsubstantiated claim, and has now embraced evolution?
OK, who hacked into Terry's account? I won't be mad, I'm just dying to know what his password was!
Watch HBKS! It'll change your life!!!!
EDIT:
It was an impostor! It wasn't even Terry's account.
Christians, IRT: 'Ray Detractors'
I realize this is off subject, but I would like to ASK the Christians on this blog for your help.
I now realize that asking you to flag a blog against Ray like I did earlier was complete nonsense on my part. It was sinful of me to try to restrict FREE speech!! I have repented and so should you !!
I have also repented from saying that Darwin was high on hash!!! That was an unsubstantiated claim that I should not have made!! Jesus was crying over my sinful ways!!
I am glad to see that Ray has embraced EVIL-lution!!! I do so recently myself and I'm praying that you Christians will do the same!!
Praying for ya!!!
Watch HBKS on my blog!!
FREE play!!
It will 'change' your life!!
So, Terry apologized for trying to shut down the Raytractors, retracted his statement about Darwin being high on hash due to the fact that he made an unsubstantiated claim, and has now embraced evolution?
OK, who hacked into Terry's account? I won't be mad, I'm just dying to know what his password was!
Watch HBKS! It'll change your life!!!!
EDIT:
It was an impostor! It wasn't even Terry's account.
We're in trouble now...
keywesthaven1@msn.com (Terry) said...
Christians, IRT: 'Ray Detractors'
I realize this is off subject, but I would like to ASK the Christians on this blog for your help.
A group of atheist 'thugs' are persecuting Ray Comfort(raydetractors). The blogspot website is that name. If you look at the website you will see numerous violations / hate crimes towards Ray Comfort.
One post after another. They live to persecute Ray. Its just evil.
I ask you to take the time and report them / flag their blog, or whatever ...in order to bring peace to this situation.
It criminal harassment. Readers, will you help? drop me an email if you need the instructions for reporting this to Google.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
In His Love,
Terry Burton
Retired USN Counselor
September 17, 2008 9:17 AM
Oh, I am so scared. Forget about the fact that Christians love to feel persecuted. What a bunch of whiners. Jesus told them to expect, even embrace, persecution. Bunch of crybabies.
Christians, IRT: 'Ray Detractors'
I realize this is off subject, but I would like to ASK the Christians on this blog for your help.
A group of atheist 'thugs' are persecuting Ray Comfort(raydetractors). The blogspot website is that name. If you look at the website you will see numerous violations / hate crimes towards Ray Comfort.
One post after another. They live to persecute Ray. Its just evil.
I ask you to take the time and report them / flag their blog, or whatever ...in order to bring peace to this situation.
It criminal harassment. Readers, will you help? drop me an email if you need the instructions for reporting this to Google.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
In His Love,
Terry Burton
Retired USN Counselor
September 17, 2008 9:17 AM
Oh, I am so scared. Forget about the fact that Christians love to feel persecuted. What a bunch of whiners. Jesus told them to expect, even embrace, persecution. Bunch of crybabies.
God has a hobby
It's insects.
And I can proof it.
There are around 1.5 million different species described today.
When you read the Genesis you will find that it took him a full day to create the animals in the sea and the birds in the air. Note, that he created only birds in the air, no butterflies.
Since there are approximately 190,000 different species in the ocean and less than 10000 species of birds, he must have created less than 3 species per second.
God is omnipotent. So we shouldn't doubt that this is absolutely possible.
The next day, he created the terrestrian animals and the man. If we substract the sea animals and the birds, we still have ca. 1,300,000 different species to be created on day 6.
That would be over 14 species per second and less than 0.07 seconds to create the man. Unlikely. It's unthinkable that God was just lazy the other day.
But then: The Bible wisefully never mentioned insects in the Genesis. The only words that come somewhere close to insects must be seen as lower forms of invertebrates such as annelids or simpler arthropodes.
That would leave ca. 300,000 different species for day six. And since he already had some practice from the day before, he might even had time to spare some extra seconds for the creation of man.
Makes much more sense this way. Especially since vertrebrates are quite easily designed. All you need is a skull, a spine and four extremities.
Insects are much more interesting. They come in an amazing diversity in shape and have very complex structures. Some of them have four wings, some two, and some have none. Some of them are more colorful than everything else in the world, some have extreme sexual dimorphisms. Some go through a metamorphosis from a disgusting caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly.
That's the high art of design!
I'm sure God took a fancy in beetles. There are more than 350,000 different beetle species. Nobody would need that much. It must have taken him a while to create such diversity.
On day six he didn't even had time to think about a proper skeletal structure for his bipedal man.
I think in Moses' time he was busy creating locusts and got a little bit carried away. But fortunately he could use them as a biological weapon.
And he is still creating new insect species today. Even when entomologists go to places, where a lot of other scientists have already been, like the rainforests, they manage to find new insect species. Obviously, because God just put them there.
If they happen to find new mammal species, it usually turns out, that this species wasn't so brand new to the locals.
It's completely different with insects. As a joke for entomologists God sometimes even puts some new species into a century old entomological collections. What a proof of his omnipotence!
And if we look at a structure, I'm particular interested in, the brain, it's the same story. Mammalian brains are boring. They differ a little in size but apart from that cortical swelling in primates for example, they aren't that different.
It's completely different in insects as you can see above.
You have to be an expert to find the similarities, especially since the structures differ in color. For example are the parts that process optical informations yellow in the bee brain (picture 1)and green in the fly brain (picture 2).
And they are much bigger in the bee. That's logical since the bee needs to see better, but there are differences in optical abilities in mammals, too. And can you see the difference by simply looking at their brains? No!
Which proofs that insect brains are much more efficiently designed than mammalian brains. God has invested a lot of thought in it.
(1.picture: 3D bee brain model, from the bee brain atlas, FU Berlin
2. picure: 3D fly brain model, M. Heisenberg, Nature reviews Neuroscience (2003)
3. picture: Most orders of insects. I got a little bit over exited about beetles. Unfortunately only the honey bee is from me.)
To save you the trouble...
This is Ray's latest bit of bait on the end of his never-ending line of bullshit:
It’s been right under our noses all this time. We have finally found the missing link. The tadpole evolves into the frog in a matter of weeks ("Fish Gets Legs").
Of course, a true evolutionist believes that the tadpole isn’t a true fish.
The caterpillar evolves into the butterfly ("Bug Gets Wings"). God speeds up the process from millions of years to just 21 days, so that you can actually see the transition."
The rest has been snipped because it's just evango-speak and is of no use to anyone.
Please, please, please, please don't fall into the trap of feeling like you have to rebut or refute what may seem, at first glance, to be an argument against evolution. It's not. It's bait and it's only meant to keep you posting. Actually, reading it again; it doesn't make any logical sense at all. I mean: "Of course, a true evolutionist believes that the tadpole isn’t a true fish." is a true statement, so is he refuting himself now? He may have totally lost it!
To be crystal clear;
Ray knows that what he has described is not evolution (and he doesn't care)
Ray knows that no 'evolutionist' thinks this is evolution (and he doesn't care)
Ray knows that his flock don't care either way and that it annoys the fuck out of anyone with a functioning brain to read this crap.
Responding to posts like this only feeds Ray's massive ego (this, he does care about)
Perhaps an effective tactic when Ray posts nonsense like this would be to introduce a new topic in one of the first comments and essentially hijack the thread - it'll annoy him and we might get somewhere with some of the more open-minded fundies (there's an oxymoron for you!).
PS. - I say 'we' but I'm still on strike so by 'we' I really mean 'you', and by 'Ray Comfort' I really mean 'Cunt'. Glad to clarify that for y'all.
Cheers,
"Proof of Evolution
It’s been right under our noses all this time. We have finally found the missing link. The tadpole evolves into the frog in a matter of weeks ("Fish Gets Legs").Of course, a true evolutionist believes that the tadpole isn’t a true fish.
The caterpillar evolves into the butterfly ("Bug Gets Wings"). God speeds up the process from millions of years to just 21 days, so that you can actually see the transition."
The rest has been snipped because it's just evango-speak and is of no use to anyone.
Please, please, please, please don't fall into the trap of feeling like you have to rebut or refute what may seem, at first glance, to be an argument against evolution. It's not. It's bait and it's only meant to keep you posting. Actually, reading it again; it doesn't make any logical sense at all. I mean: "Of course, a true evolutionist believes that the tadpole isn’t a true fish." is a true statement, so is he refuting himself now? He may have totally lost it!
To be crystal clear;
Ray knows that what he has described is not evolution (and he doesn't care)
Ray knows that no 'evolutionist' thinks this is evolution (and he doesn't care)
Ray knows that his flock don't care either way and that it annoys the fuck out of anyone with a functioning brain to read this crap.
Responding to posts like this only feeds Ray's massive ego (this, he does care about)
Perhaps an effective tactic when Ray posts nonsense like this would be to introduce a new topic in one of the first comments and essentially hijack the thread - it'll annoy him and we might get somewhere with some of the more open-minded fundies (there's an oxymoron for you!).
PS. - I say 'we' but I'm still on strike so by 'we' I really mean 'you', and by 'Ray Comfort' I really mean 'Cunt'. Glad to clarify that for y'all.
Cheers,
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Large Hadron Collider 'destroys God by accident'
GENEVA, Switzerland – Concerns that the Large Hadron Collider might destroy the Earth proved unfounded on Wednesday, but scientists warned that they may instead have accidentally destroyed God shortly after powering up the machine.Detectors in the $1000000 billion machine recorded a massive outburst of Higgs bosons, nicknamed the "God particle" about 3 seconds into the first experiment. Scientists speculate that God may have accidentally strayed into the high-powered opposing beams of protons the collider generates, and been disintegrated.
"We detected so many Higgs bosons in such a short space of time, there's little chance God could have survived," said Dr Tara Sheers, a particle physicist from the University of Manchester.
Despite the unexpected results from the collider's first day of operations, the public should not be concerned over the safety of the machine, said Professor Jim Vordee, a particle physicist at Imperial College London.
Moreover, today's accident should not greatly impact the world's major religions, he said.
"From the results of today's experiment, we can conclude that while God probably did exist, He probably doesn't now.
"Theologically speaking, this is much the same position we were in on Tuesday. It's ironic that at the very instant that we had scientific evidence of the existence of God, He most probably ceased to exist."
Officials at the organization that operates the collider - the European Organization for Nuclear Research, better known by its old acronym CERN – have yet to make a statement on God's probable destruction.
However, Steve Myars, head of the accelerator and beam department at CERN, said some sort of letter of apology and condolences to the leaders of the world's major religions might be in order.
"We really didn't mean to 'do a Nietzsche' as it were, and kill God, but then again, God's been dead for over three hours now, and things still seem to be going on pretty much as usual in the universe.
"God may have been destroyed, but it's not the end of the world."
God's next-of-kin Jesus could not be reached for comment.
Uncyclopedia
It's All Our Fault
Looks we're all to blame for Terry Burton's unending stream of bullshit, unfounded accusations, and outright lies.
Mike and Lizette's Travels and Thoughts said...
keywesthaven1@msn.com (Terry)
Don't let these atheist trip you up by playing into their game, but most of all don't let them to get you to sin by calling them names or say something you may regret, they are not worth it.
September 16, 2008 7:31 PM
I feel so bad.
Mike and Lizette's Travels and Thoughts said...
keywesthaven1@msn.com (Terry)
Don't let these atheist trip you up by playing into their game, but most of all don't let them to get you to sin by calling them names or say something you may regret, they are not worth it.
September 16, 2008 7:31 PM
I feel so bad.
How Brainwashing Works
Ray Comfort uses classic brainwashing techniques as the bedrock of his ministry. He may know his techniques are unethical but feels the ends justifies the means. He may also be blissfully unaware of what he is doing. I imagine Ray may have been converted to Christianity using similar brainwashing methods which explains his own techniques and why appeals to logic and reason are not an effective debate tactic when dealing with his claims. Either way, I feel the Raytractors have a right to know what Ray is doing from a psychological perspective.
Brainwashing is a three step process.
Step 1: Break Down The Self
- Assault on identity: Tell the victim they are not what they think they are. Explain that they are not the product of evolution but the product of an almighty creator.
- Guilt: Tell the victim they are a sinner. Explain they will end up in Hell.
- Self-betrayal: Have them agree they are a sinner. Ask victim if they have ever lied and what that makes them. Get them to agree with you.
- Breaking point: Get the victim to break down, perhaps start crying.
Step 2: The Possibility of Salvation
- Leniency: Tell the victim you can help them. Tell them they can be redeemed and saved from the consequences of their previous actions. Explain they can go to Heaven instead of Hell.
- Compulsion to confession: Tell the victim to confess their sins.
- Channeling of guilt: Tell the victim their pain and guilt arises from their previous beliefs. Associate the old beliefs with suffering. Tell the victim the reason why they broke down is because they were a sinner.
- Releasing of guilt: Assure the victim that it's not their fault; it was their beliefs.
Step 3: Rebuilding the Self
- Progress and harmony: Give the victim a choice to choose good. Offer benefits for choosing good such as invitation to a church social group and social rejection for choosing bad.
- Final confession and rebirth: The victim chooses good and often a ritual such as baptism is performed to pledge allegiance to the new group.
Source: http://people.howstuffworks.com/brainwashing.htm
Brainwashing is a three step process.
Step 1: Break Down The Self
- Assault on identity: Tell the victim they are not what they think they are. Explain that they are not the product of evolution but the product of an almighty creator.
- Guilt: Tell the victim they are a sinner. Explain they will end up in Hell.
- Self-betrayal: Have them agree they are a sinner. Ask victim if they have ever lied and what that makes them. Get them to agree with you.
- Breaking point: Get the victim to break down, perhaps start crying.
Step 2: The Possibility of Salvation
- Leniency: Tell the victim you can help them. Tell them they can be redeemed and saved from the consequences of their previous actions. Explain they can go to Heaven instead of Hell.
- Compulsion to confession: Tell the victim to confess their sins.
- Channeling of guilt: Tell the victim their pain and guilt arises from their previous beliefs. Associate the old beliefs with suffering. Tell the victim the reason why they broke down is because they were a sinner.
- Releasing of guilt: Assure the victim that it's not their fault; it was their beliefs.
Step 3: Rebuilding the Self
- Progress and harmony: Give the victim a choice to choose good. Offer benefits for choosing good such as invitation to a church social group and social rejection for choosing bad.
- Final confession and rebirth: The victim chooses good and often a ritual such as baptism is performed to pledge allegiance to the new group.
Source: http://people.howstuffworks.com/brainwashing.htm
A cool sip of humour
If someone can explain to me how to edit the version in the side bar
In the meantime .....
Miracles still happen
In the meantime .....
Miracles still happen
All Dogs go to Heaven?
"Name one feature about humanity that can be demonstrated as unique." Mudley
Atheism.
This is Ray's latest post. Uhg. I assume from the question, that this discussion was about the unique status of humans in nature. Mudley, the atheist, is asking what it is that sets us apart from other primates, and indeed all of life. Ray Comfort responds, "atheism". Now, are we to assume that other animals are religious? What god do ants worship, I wonder? Do all dogs really go to heaven?
Atheism.
This is Ray's latest post. Uhg. I assume from the question, that this discussion was about the unique status of humans in nature. Mudley, the atheist, is asking what it is that sets us apart from other primates, and indeed all of life. Ray Comfort responds, "atheism". Now, are we to assume that other animals are religious? What god do ants worship, I wonder? Do all dogs really go to heaven?
An Evolutionist Science Textbook.
Nothing evolved and nothing is evolving... Caterpillars still change into butterflies, and they do that because God made them that way, not because of evolution.
- Ray Comfort
My Favorite
"Jason" over at Atheist Central has really set Terry Burton off. He has Burton's pic as his profile pic. In one post Terry warned him to take it down, then in the next he said he'd reported him to Google for identity theft and impersonation. I have an idea; let's all use that photo on our profiles for awhile. Maybe we can make Terry's head explode.
Monday, September 15, 2008
A New Blog In Town
Well, it took me a few weeks, but I have finally figured out how to make a post on this blog.
Sorry for the delay, but I hope that the quality of my posts will be worth the wait.
I am also here to shamelessly plug my new blog -
The Feeble Lance of Reason.
http://feeblelance.blogspot.com/
The first post is a long one, but it is one that all present and future Raytractors should be intimately familiar with. It is an essay prophetically written by Isaac Asimov in 1984 entitled "The Threat of Creationism".
The prospect of a Young Earth Creationist like Sarah Palin becoming Vice President of the United States of America, only a heartbeat away from actually being President should give all rational people nightmares.
In an interview, Palin admited that she felt that the Earth is less than 7,000 years old and substantiates her reasoning because she saw pictures of human footprints with dinosaur footprints. She also firmly believes that Jesus will return in her lifetime.
I wonder if she has seen "Hell's Best Kept Secret"?
Sorry for the delay, but I hope that the quality of my posts will be worth the wait.
I am also here to shamelessly plug my new blog -
The Feeble Lance of Reason.
http://feeblelance.blogspot.com/
The first post is a long one, but it is one that all present and future Raytractors should be intimately familiar with. It is an essay prophetically written by Isaac Asimov in 1984 entitled "The Threat of Creationism".
The prospect of a Young Earth Creationist like Sarah Palin becoming Vice President of the United States of America, only a heartbeat away from actually being President should give all rational people nightmares.
In an interview, Palin admited that she felt that the Earth is less than 7,000 years old and substantiates her reasoning because she saw pictures of human footprints with dinosaur footprints. She also firmly believes that Jesus will return in her lifetime.
I wonder if she has seen "Hell's Best Kept Secret"?
New Episode of Way of the Master
The episode of Way of the Master that debuted today on TBN uses the army as a metaphor for Christian evangelicalism. While the show was entertaining and contained many powerful religious testimonies, the idea of "Christian solders" gives me shivers.For starters, viewing your religious faith as a call to battle is reminiscent of the same violent Islamic jihads plaguing the Middle East.
Secondly, if I spent my life spreading a message of peace, equality, and love, then someone decided to use war as a metaphor for my message, I would quickly grow vexed in that they promote the opposite of what I taught and attach my name to their message. They would be as hypocrites and liars.
If Christians are to an army, then who would Jesus kill?
To those who don't want author rights, but still want to be identified as a "Raytractor"
We can have up to 100 authors and we are only up to (at most) 42, so we aren't in any danger of running out of room (so far). However, there are a couple of users who have expressed a passing interest in not being an active contributor, but still have the same feelings that the contributing authors have regarding Ray, his blog, and the general reason for this community. Therefore, if you want to be a Raytractor, but have no need or desire for author rights, and want the anonymity that not belonging offers (no need for an email) but still want to be recognized a such, I have created a second list of people below the list of contributors.
If you would like to be on that list instead, either post so in the comments of this thread, send me an email or just post a random comment to me in any other thread. I am subcribed to comments, and If I see my name in there, I try to respond or react fairly quickly. If you still want to remain a contributor, EVEN IF you don't post anything, that's great. This is just an attempt to catch the lurkers and the people who don't want to contribute posts, but comment semi-frequently.
EDIT: So far, removed the phrase "so far" which was posted so far too many times.
If you would like to be on that list instead, either post so in the comments of this thread, send me an email or just post a random comment to me in any other thread. I am subcribed to comments, and If I see my name in there, I try to respond or react fairly quickly. If you still want to remain a contributor, EVEN IF you don't post anything, that's great. This is just an attempt to catch the lurkers and the people who don't want to contribute posts, but comment semi-frequently.
EDIT: So far, removed the phrase "so far" which was posted so far too many times.
Just some thoughts
Terry finally convinced me that I want to be a raytractor. Seems as if I’m one of you evil atheists anyway. Strangely enough I never considered myself to be an evolutionist before I saw Ray’s blog. Evolution is so commonly accepted among biologists, that it is hardly a thing you identify with. I always found it fascinating and a very complex and convincing explanation for the diversity of Life, but as a neurobiologist I’m much more interested in the mind. In perception, consciousness, learning, memory and (yes, it is important everywhere in biology) the evolution of the nervous system.
I am an atheist but I believe in a lot of things even though I know that some of them are incorrect. I believe in color, even though the colors I see are nothing but a construct of my brain, I believe that the sun is rising every morning even though I know it would be better to say that the Earth is turning towards the sun, I believe that I can trust my senses even though I know that they only show me a tiny little part of the world. And I believe that GOD is just a construct of the human brain to comfort us when we realize our limitations. So I believe that some people really feel their holy lord, even though I’m sure that he/she/it doesn’t exist outside their brains. But that’s ok. If we can’t trust our own feelings, we’ll get lost.
I happen to feel that there is no such thing as a deity out there and that nothing has to be supernatural just because I can’t perceive it. That’s my subjective truth. I can talk about it, I even can try to convince people but what I absolutely can’t do is expecting everybody else to feel exactly what I feel.
It really annoys me, when Ray or some of his cronies insist, that everybody feels somewhere deep down that god (and to make it even more foolish: explicitly the Christian God) exists. Maybe that part of my brain just isn’t developed, but then, maybe I use it for other things that make me survive as a tiny little dot in an endless universe. Logic for example. Or Empathy.
Definitely can't be serious...
"I heard this morning that a friend had a massive heart attack and died. It was nothing serious . . .
he knew the Lord. Of course, it's a sad time for the family because they will miss him, but every time someone dies, I am reminded that death has lost its sting for those who have repented and trusted in Jesus." Ray Comfort, 15/09/08 (or 09/15/08 if you use completely illogical US dating ;-) )
I accept Christians think that when other Jeebus-fiddlers die they go to Heaven. It's utter bunkum, but I accept that they think it's true.
Raymundo, on the other hand, is truly pathetic. His emotions are so bent out of shape by his repressive beliefs that he doesn't express so much as a quantum of loss. He notes the family will feel sad and miss the dead man but for himself..? Nothing. Clearly he cannot view the sadness as unchristian, as he doesn't reproach the family for it, yet for his friend, he expresses no feelings except an obvious joy at being able to preach.
I'm not going to call him a cunt again - even though he plainly is incredibly cunty - I just feel rather sad. I pity him.
Atheists are God's Enemy!
So much for us all being God's children! We're "His enemy"!
Ray Comfort Wrote:
... if you are an atheist, you are not God's child (He will never damn His children). You are His enemy. The Bible makes that very clear.
- Comment to chris mackey in Ex-atheists post (emphasis added)
So, how long until Ray leads his followers on a Jihad against the godless of the world? We are "the Enemy", after all.
Ray Comfort Wrote:
... if you are an atheist, you are not God's child (He will never damn His children). You are His enemy. The Bible makes that very clear.
- Comment to chris mackey in Ex-atheists post (emphasis added)
So, how long until Ray leads his followers on a Jihad against the godless of the world? We are "the Enemy", after all.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Well, crap.
So, I had a conversation with God earlier today.
It started off at church. Four weeks ago, we started a study of 1 Corinthians, and got to chapter 4 this morning.
Here's a small excerpt of what we read:
5So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether or not someone is faithful. When the Lord comes, he will bring our deepest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due.
So God says, "Look, you can disagree with Ray all you want. That's fine. But take another look there at that verse. That one's for you right now."
So, I said to God "Yeah, but didn't you specify in the gospels that there's a difference between judging and being judgmental? I'm not judging hypocritically, which is the thing you have a problem with, right?
Aren't you? What have you said about ministries?
I have said many times that if one ministry is harming another ministry and taking away from it, it needs to shut down.
And besides that, Ray is being faithful to his calling in the way he best knows how. It's not the way I would do it. I disagree with the way he does it. Dislike it, even. But the fact of the matter is, that's not my place as I read this morning.
I can disagree with Ray all I want, but as long as I'm part of a group of people whose sole purpose for banding together is to "Detract" from him, then I can't call myself a faithful follower of Christ.
I will still comment and post on Ray's site. I'll still disagree with Ray. I'll still admit openly that most of you are smarter than I. I'll still tell you the ways that you're cool and actually try to explain how my views are different from yours and why. But I can't do it here any more.
I hope you all find the truth about Jesus. But you know that already. I've never kept that a secret.
And I hope that maybe the college and/or youth kids that I train in the future will know their faith well enough to be able to hold a conversation with you without loosing sight of how cool you are.
It started off at church. Four weeks ago, we started a study of 1 Corinthians, and got to chapter 4 this morning.
Here's a small excerpt of what we read:
5So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether or not someone is faithful. When the Lord comes, he will bring our deepest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due.
So God says, "Look, you can disagree with Ray all you want. That's fine. But take another look there at that verse. That one's for you right now."
So, I said to God "Yeah, but didn't you specify in the gospels that there's a difference between judging and being judgmental? I'm not judging hypocritically, which is the thing you have a problem with, right?
Aren't you? What have you said about ministries?
I have said many times that if one ministry is harming another ministry and taking away from it, it needs to shut down.
And besides that, Ray is being faithful to his calling in the way he best knows how. It's not the way I would do it. I disagree with the way he does it. Dislike it, even. But the fact of the matter is, that's not my place as I read this morning.
I can disagree with Ray all I want, but as long as I'm part of a group of people whose sole purpose for banding together is to "Detract" from him, then I can't call myself a faithful follower of Christ.
I will still comment and post on Ray's site. I'll still disagree with Ray. I'll still admit openly that most of you are smarter than I. I'll still tell you the ways that you're cool and actually try to explain how my views are different from yours and why. But I can't do it here any more.
I hope you all find the truth about Jesus. But you know that already. I've never kept that a secret.
And I hope that maybe the college and/or youth kids that I train in the future will know their faith well enough to be able to hold a conversation with you without loosing sight of how cool you are.
The Darwin Smudge
Our God has revealed himself.
What's it going to take to get the false religon of Creationism out of the classrooms, so that equal viewpoints such as Evolution can be taught?
I love this sort of satire...
What's it going to take to get the false religon of Creationism out of the classrooms, so that equal viewpoints such as Evolution can be taught?
I love this sort of satire...
Check out these great atheist cartoons - tons of funny ones.
Edit: More funny things. I'm in a silly mood.
A Gospel Explosion?
And all the ladies here can attest to that.
A Philosophy TA Reads Ray
This was a humorous thread someone had over at Ray's blog recently. He had basically said that Ray's blog was entertaining to read for "virtually every fallacious mode of reasoning," to which Ray replies with a fallacy that Alex can't explain his purpose in this universe, and Alex responds, in part:
Ray,
I don't know what the purpose for mankind's existence is. I don't know that it has a purpose, (though I'm sure many different purposes are possible, i.e. defensible). I don't even know what or whether my purpose is. It's a question that must be asked, but has far more than one correct answer.
I do know this, however.
If your arguments are bad, then their conclusions, if any, are not justified. So believing your conclusions becomes more like playing roulette than making a rational inquiry about the nature of reality.
If your arguments are bad, then they don't offer any reason(s) for your conclusions. But other than reason to connect premises to conclusions, all we have is chance, so if your arguments are bad, then believing their conclusions is like picking beliefs at random, by chance.
[...]
HEY! Terry's Accusing Us of Threatening Ray Comfort!
From Terry's rant (see prev. post):
But I don't remember doing that. I think I'd remember if I had threatened Ray Comfort.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terry: I'm posting this here in case Ray won't let this through at his site.
If I ever threatened Ray Comfort in any way, then I challenge you to provide the exact threat I supposedly made and the thread it was posted to, complete with timestamp, and provide it all to Blogger with your request that my account be deleted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm calling you a liar. Prove me wrong--Produce any threat I ever made to Ray Comfort and report me.
In the past they have threatened, cursed, and belittled our blog master on 'Atheist Central'.
But I don't remember doing that. I think I'd remember if I had threatened Ray Comfort.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terry: I'm posting this here in case Ray won't let this through at his site.
If I ever threatened Ray Comfort in any way, then I challenge you to provide the exact threat I supposedly made and the thread it was posted to, complete with timestamp, and provide it all to Blogger with your request that my account be deleted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm calling you a liar. Prove me wrong--Produce any threat I ever made to Ray Comfort and report me.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
LOL
Just read this:
keywesthaven1@msn.com (Terry) said...
"The Ray Distractors"
Christians, Non-atheists
If you are not already aware of it, we have a bunch of atheist 'terrorists' on this blog that call themselves the Ray Detractors. A gang of internet thugs.
Their entire focus is to distract you from the posts, discredit the blog master, and all the Christians who comment here.
These juvenile deliquents go to great pains to distract you from the posts that "Ray makes" on his blog.
They terrorize all God believing people that comment here. Send hate emails to you, and spread their tasteless sarcasm.
Most of them do not have complete profiles, as they hide from the truth, and prefer the darkness.
In the past they have threatened, cursed, and belittled our blog master on 'Atheist Central'.
This is the "thanks" that Ray gets for allowing them to post?
Ray truly shows his Christian values and integrity by allowing them to post.
Honestly Ray, I don't see how you can stand the mindless babblings of the atheists. There is no good in them, they spit in the face of our GOD, and they are corrupt.
It must be the Love of God that flows thru your soul, and the love you have for your fellow mankind that gives you the strength.
You truly are a great example of the 'Great Commission' that Jesus gave to His disciples.
I pray that the Lord will give me the strength and the wisdom to deal with them in my every day life. God Bless You Ray! We love you Brother, and your ministry.
Please pray for me, and keep me in your prayers brothers & sisters in the Lord.
Here are those 'Distractors', a list from their blog:
Atomic Chimp
lonomoholo
Lance Christian Johnson
Stew
Charles
Adrian Hayter
Geoff
Milo
Rufus
Benjamin Franklin
captain howdy
Former Follier
The Skeptical Sorcerer
get_education
MudSkipper
nonmagic
TripMaster Monkey
Weemaryanne
mjarsulic
BaldySlaphead
Kirsti
dale
Irukandji
ExPatMatt
Quasar
JicamaEater
NaFa
MacGyver Jr
Andrew Louis
Jill D
theaceofclubz
DisComforting Ignorance
Dave
Clostridiophile
The Celtic Chimp
henwli
Rando
Rob Penn
Maragon
R.S.
Praying for you atheists! REPENT!!!
That is truly, seriously the funniest thing I've read in awhile. I love the random usage of completely unnecessary quotation marks.
And, how does one "spread tasteless sarcasm"? Do you suppose it's sexually transmitted? I hope so.
Thanks for making this collage, Jill - it made my day!
Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Idiocy
It's sad that people follow Ray so blindly. They absorb his arguments and then try to use them without even investigating them. While Ray is very good for atheists (just like the Bible), it's still sad to see people referencing Ray's work when making arguments -- especially when the gem comes from his cartoonist's blog (Wonders of Creation):
It's just sad, is all.
...The answer to the question “Is Man an animal?” is not a simple one. The shortest answer is “No” but it takes a while, and some thought to sort out what we mean by “animal”. Obviously, Man is not a plant, or a bacterium. He shares many things with all creatures – he has a backbone so he is classed as a vertebrate, and Man suckles his young so he is classed as a mammal. Female humans have placentas, so Man is classed as a placental mammal. Man also shares some things in common with primates, so he is assumed to be an extension of the primate family.
But Man is much more than an animal. For example, as Ray Comfort found out, a human cannot take an orangutan on to an airliner, because the creature is not classed as a human – despite all that evolutionists say about orangutans being just like humans. The airline’s rules are far more sensible than evolutionists.
It's just sad, is all.
This is the best post ever. God has revealed this to me in a way that I can be certain....
So, Circular Sye is back. He's popped up again at Ray's blog - and quite unsurprisingly, he's still spewing his same, tired, often shot down breed of pre-supposistionalism.
If anyone sees him posting his usual rhetoric over there, I invite you to borrow this proof from Stephen Law(whom Sye ran away from earlier this summer).
"In the meantime, I produce a sketch of my own presuppositionalism I have been developing. It goes like this.
My claim: Sye's mind is addled and his thinking unreliable because he was hit on the head by a rock.
Prove this is false Sye.
Try to, and I will say - "But your "proof" presupposes your mind is not addled and you can recognize a proof when you see it. So it fails."
Ask me to prove my claim and I will say: "But prove to me your mind is not addled, then, Sye". Which you won't be able to, for the above reason. I might then add, with a flourish - "So you see, it's proved by the impossibility of the contrary".
And of course I have a good explanation for why your brain is addled - you were hit by a rock.
Is my claim reasonable, then? Of course not. It's bullshit. I really can't see how
your position is any less of a bullshit position. Can you?"
Please cite Mr. Law if you choose to use this.
Thanks.
If anyone sees him posting his usual rhetoric over there, I invite you to borrow this proof from Stephen Law(whom Sye ran away from earlier this summer).
"In the meantime, I produce a sketch of my own presuppositionalism I have been developing. It goes like this.
My claim: Sye's mind is addled and his thinking unreliable because he was hit on the head by a rock.
Prove this is false Sye.
Try to, and I will say - "But your "proof" presupposes your mind is not addled and you can recognize a proof when you see it. So it fails."
Ask me to prove my claim and I will say: "But prove to me your mind is not addled, then, Sye". Which you won't be able to, for the above reason. I might then add, with a flourish - "So you see, it's proved by the impossibility of the contrary".
And of course I have a good explanation for why your brain is addled - you were hit by a rock.
Is my claim reasonable, then? Of course not. It's bullshit. I really can't see how
your position is any less of a bullshit position. Can you?"
Please cite Mr. Law if you choose to use this.
Thanks.
He gets what?
Well, Ray posted a new blog post that seemed to irk me a bit. He's talking about the Hurricane going through Texas.
Here's an excerpt-
It’s now the morning after the hurricane and those that survived are begging for help. They were warned again and again. How could they have been so stupid--to risk their very lives? Hang on. I get it. Now it makes sense. They didn’t believe in hurricanes. Duh.
At first, I thought the post wasn't so bad... But, the end...It just got to me. This guy is willing to make fun of these people in distress just to 'mock' atheists? That's what I'm getting from this. I mean, sure, these people may not have made the best choice, or maybe they have their reasons- But, I would never go as far as to mock them just to get under the skins of believers.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Really sympathizing with Mark Twain:
Well, kids, Ray has done it again. This time, the object of his odious quote-mining attentions is Mark Twain.
Here's the quote Ray feels supports his cause:
I'm not sure what's worse here...the fact that Ray has so abjectly failed to understand Twain's point in this particular quote, or the fact that Ray seems to be so completely and utterly ignorant of Twain's actual opinions of religion in general.
In the interest of promoting more informed discussion of this topic, here are a few more quotes from Twain concerning religion:
Here's the quote Ray feels supports his cause:
It ain't the parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.
I'm not sure what's worse here...the fact that Ray has so abjectly failed to understand Twain's point in this particular quote, or the fact that Ray seems to be so completely and utterly ignorant of Twain's actual opinions of religion in general.
In the interest of promoting more informed discussion of this topic, here are a few more quotes from Twain concerning religion:
So much blood has been shed by the Church because of an omission from the Gospel: "Ye shall be indifferent as to what your neighbor's religion is." Not merely tolerant of it, but indifferent to it. Divinity is claimed for many religions; but no religion is great enough or divine enough to add that new law to its code.
- Mark Twain, a Biography
We despise all reverences and all the objects of reverence which are outside the pale of our own list of sacred things. And yet, with strange inconsistency, we are shocked when other people despise and defile the things which are holy to us.
- Following the Equator
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion--several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven....The higher animals have no religion. And we are told that they are going to be left out in the Hereafter. I wonder why? It seems questionable taste.
- "The Lowest Animal"
Monarchies, aristocracies, and religions....there was never a country where the majority of the people were in their secret hearts loyal to any of these institutions.
- The Mysterious Stranger
The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also. I would not interfere with any one's religion, either to strengthen it or to weaken it. I am not able to believe one's religion can affect his hereafter one way or the other, no matter what that religion may be. But it may easily be a great comfort to him in this life--hence it is a valuable possession to him.
- Mark Twain, a Biography
In religion and politics people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing.
- Autobiography of Mark Twain
I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's.
- Mark Twain in Eruption
Man is kind enough when he is not excited by religion.
- A Horse's Tale
Religion consists in a set of things which the average man thinks he believes, and wishes he was certain.
- Notebook, 1879
I was educated, I was trained, I was a Presbyterian and I knew how these things are done. I knew that in Biblical times if a man committed a sin the extermination of the whole surrounding nation--cattle and all--was likely to happen. I knew that Providence was not particular about the rest, so that He got somebody connected with the one He was after.
- Autobiography of Mark Twain
We don't cut up when mad men are bred by the old legitimate regular stock religions, but we can't allow wildcat religions to indulge in such disastrous experiments.
- "The New Wildcat Religion"
Zeal and sincerity can carry a new religion further than any other missionary except fire and sword.
- Christian Science
The altar cloth of one aeon is the doormat of the next.
- Notebook, 1898
I have a religion--but you will call it blasphemy. It is that there is a God for the rich man but none for the poor.....Perhaps your religion will sustain you,will feed you--I place no dependence in mine. Our religions are alike, though, in one respect--neither can make a man happy when he is out of luck.
- Letter to Orion Clemens, 10/19-20/1865
We have to keep our God placated with prayers, and even then we are never sure of him--how much higher and finer is the Indian's God......Our illogical God is all-powerful in name, but impotent in fact; the Great Spirit is not all-powerful, but does the very best he can for his injun and does it free of charge.
- Marginalia written in copy of Richard Irving Dodge's Our Wild Indians
And Now We Are Forty
Cheerfully swiped from The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2 (New International Version). Weemaryanne's improvements (?) appear in brackets [thus-like].
1When the day of Pentecost came, they [The Raytractors] were all together in one [unholy] place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind [or possibly a Burtonfart] came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [And lo, the stench was profound. Verily.]
3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [And they promptly rose and poured beer one upon the other, forinasmuchas the alcohol content thereof is low enough that the liquid may extinguish flames.
And then they did lament, for verily, it was Lance C. Johnson's homebrew which was poured out upon the furniture.]
4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. [And the most energetic amongst them made multiple thoughtful and eloquent blog posts, and Weemaryanne spoke in Doggerel, and the rest endured Weemaryanne's doggerel with the bestest of good grace.]
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? [Why, no, and they're not all men either, dumbass.]
8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
[And MacGyver Jr. replied, "Who the heck knoweth? But if thou hast a suggestion, then verily, thou shouldst become a Raytractor and get in thy two cents' worth."]
13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." [Which seemeth unlikely, as had they been drinking wine when the flying fire arrived then the place would have gone up in a great conflagration, yea verily youbetcha.]
(Courtesy of biblegateway.com)
-----------------------------
Seeing as there are now forty of us, and the number forty keeps popping up in the Bible (probably just a mnemonic device, a holdover from the days before the bible was written down), I had the idea to write some doggerel featuring the names of each and every one of The Raytractors.
Then I realized I was feverish. So, instead, I swiped someone else's non-copyright doggerel and took shameless liberties with it.
Then I took some aspirin and now I'm going to go lie down. Any malaise that can cause symptoms like that should not be trifled with.
The Raytractors Awards (sponsored by CERN)
I see from the blog archive that this is post number 488; only 12 more to go until we hit 500!
In honour of this most auspicious occasion, I am proposing that we use this thread to hammer out a few awards that can be presented for post 500.
I'm thinking:
Cheers,
"I'd offer a penny for your thoughts; but they're worth far more than that"
- ExPatMatt's Dad, circa 2001.
In honour of this most auspicious occasion, I am proposing that we use this thread to hammer out a few awards that can be presented for post 500.
I'm thinking:
- Best Raytactors Post
- Favorite Fundie
- Best Supporting Raniac
- Irony-Meter's Worst Enemy
- Best Comeback Line
- Most Likely to End Up in the Lowest Circle of Hell
- God/gods/mythical creature Most Likely to Exist
- Best Quote-Mine
- Golden Crocoduck for anti-science stupidity (this award is in existence on Youtube, I think)
- The Judas Iscariot Award for False Convert of the Year
- Best Poe
- ....you think of the rest!
Cheers,
"I'd offer a penny for your thoughts; but they're worth far more than that"
- ExPatMatt's Dad, circa 2001.
Law = Liberty?
Not according to Rabbi Saulos of Tarsus.
And no one knows The Law more intimately than he.
Romans 7:4-6
4 So this is the point: The law no longer holds you in its power, because you died to its power when you died with Christ on the cross. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, you can produce good fruit, that is, good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit.
Romans 8:1-4
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Paul (and through him, God) says you've got it backwards, Ray.
Adherence to the Law doesn't bring Liberty. Liberty from sin through Christ will produce adherence to the law.
And no one knows The Law more intimately than he.
Romans 7:4-6
4 So this is the point: The law no longer holds you in its power, because you died to its power when you died with Christ on the cross. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, you can produce good fruit, that is, good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit.
Romans 8:1-4
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Paul (and through him, God) says you've got it backwards, Ray.
Adherence to the Law doesn't bring Liberty. Liberty from sin through Christ will produce adherence to the law.
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